Shuttleless wire mesh loom



N@v.12,1940. RV'ON HOLTZ 2,220,924

SHUTTILELESS WIRE MESH Loom Filed Aug. 11, 1958 s Sheet-Sheet 1 Arman-NENov. 12, 1940. VON HOLTZ 2,220,924

SHUTTLELESS WIRE MESH LOOM Filed Aug. 11, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 F 10IIQQVENTOR W 73% Nair. '12, 1940'.-

2 F. VON HQLTZ SHUTTLELESS WIRE MESH LOOM Filed Aug. 11, 1958 3Sheets-Sheet 3 VENT R ATTORNEYS,

Patented Nov. 12, 1940 want 1 QFFHC I SHUTTLELESS E MESH DOOMApplication August 11', 1938, Serial No 224,246

I 11 claims. (01.139-127) This invention relates to looms, particularlyto looms for weaving wire mesh or cloth, including relatively large meshusing relatively heavy wire, and it is a principal object of theinvention 5 to provide a loom in which the filler or cross wires areinserted in the open shed without the use of a shuttle or bobbin thusdoing away with the necessity of renewing the bobbins in the shuttle,with consequent holding up or stopping of the loom, and so that theweaving operation may be continued indefinitely, thus doing away withthe large loss of time required for renewing the bobbins in the old typeof machine.

With the foregoing and other objects in view,

I have devised a construction, one form of which is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specification. It will,,

however, be understood that various changes and modifications may beemployed within the scope of the invention and the claims.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the main portion of the loom withmy improvement applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a detailed vertical sectional view through a portion of thelay and a cut-ofl mechanism associated therewith;

Fig. 3 is apartial'top plan and sectional elevation of the device ofFig. 2, the section being substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the main portion of the loom with a portion ofthe lay in section, the

view being taken substantially on line 44 of Fig. 5 is a top plan viewof the guide and trip mechanism at one side of the lay;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal longitudinal section through the heads for layingthe wire in the open shed showing the position of the elements afterthey have come together within the shed, the section being substantiallyon line 6-6 of Fig. 8;

Fig. 7 is a similar view of parts of these elements showing theirposition just before they come together within the shed;

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section substantially on line 8-8 of Fig. 6;

- Fig. 9 is' a transverse section substantiallyon line 9-4 of Fig. 6;Fig. 10 is'a plan view of a portion of the W1! means within\the shed;.

Fig. 11 is a top plan view of a portion of the warp and mesh, and thelay associated therewith; 5 Fig. 12 is an elevational View lookingtoward wires or for the length of time I mesh and shed showing the crosswire inserting the right hand end of the machine showing analternative'arrangement showing mechanism for supplying a crimped crossor filler wire instead of a straight" wire to be. laid in the shed;

Fig. 13 is a view thereof from the front of the 5 machine; and

Fig. 14 is a detailed enlarged view showing the. means for crimping thewire.

In ordinary looms the cross or filler. wires are laid in the shed by areciprocating shuttle car 10 rying a spool or bobbin on which the filleror cross wire is wound. Due to the restricted space available the amountof wire which may be carried on the spool or bobbin is limited so that acontinuous weaving operation can be carried on 15 for a short timeonly,when the loom must be stopped to permit removal of the empty spool 01'bobbin from the shuttle and the insertion of a filled or wound spool orbobbin. It will be ob-- 'vious that the'changing of the bobbins requires9 considerable time during which the loom is stopped or not operated. Infact with the coarser wires considerably more time may be required forchanging the spool or bobbins than is available forv the actual weavingoperation. 5

. devices moving into and out of the open shed at the oppositesidesthereof, the wires being fed from a continuous coil or supply of anydesired 5 size or length so that the machine may operate practicallycontinuously for weaving a mesh of a length corresponding to the lengthof the warp eduired to exhaust the coil or filler wire of any desiredsize. It will be evident that this mechanism therefore greatly reducesthe time the loom is shut down and not operating. It therefore greatlyincreases production and the efliciency of the machine and I theoperator. 45 The drawings do not show the entire loom mechanism as agreat deal of it may be of standard construction, and therefore onlysuflicient is illustrated for a clear understanding of the invention.The upper part of the upright main cross wires.

of the lay may be swung forwardly and backwardly in the usual manner inproper timed relation with the operation of the shed mechanism (notshown) to lay and position the filler or This lay frame includes twoupright members l5 shown in the present case as I-beams hung at theirupper ends on the shaft l3 outside the frame members l2, and they aretransverse beam l8. At their lower ends these members l5 carryhorizontally connecting angle members l1 and II connected, by anysuitable number of straps l9,and carry between them the reed 20 passingvertically between the warp wires indicated at 2| in the usual manner,and as the lower end of the lay is swung back and forth to position thecross wires in conjunction with proper feed of the warps to set thecross wires at the proper spacing for the desired mesh in the well knownand usual manner. As indicated above the shed mechanism for alternatelyraising and lowering the warp wires 2i to form the shed is not shown,but it will be understood that the alternate warp wires are raised andlowered alternately in the usual manner to cross over the last laidcross wire in preparation for the laying of the next cross wire. Thefiller or cross wires are indicated at 22. .The woven mesh or cloth 8may be run over a guide bar or roller 22 and wound on a cloth beam 24 inthe usual manner, the feed mechanism for rotating this beam for the stepby step feed being of any usual type and is not shown as it forms nopart of the present invention.

' As suggested above, in this device, instead of having a shuttle andpicker mechanism for throwing the shuttle through the shed, means v areprovided for inserting the free end of a cross wire through a portion ofthe shed from one side thereof and other means operated from the otherside of the shed for gripping this free 'end of the wire and drawing itthrough the shed to the .proper location. Then the wire is cut off andpositioned by the reed, and after the warp wires are reversed thismechanism again operates to insert another cross wire in the shed and soon indefinitely. This mechanism comprises two reciprocating head members25 and 28 reciprocated into and from the shed at the opposite sidesthereof. The

head 25 is mounted on a, tubular bar 21 slidable in suitable guidescarried between the lay beams l1 and. I8 and carried at its free end ona cross head 28 having rollers 25 running on the opposite edges of aguide bar 30 carried by the lay beams l1 and I8 and projecting outwardlybeyond the free end thereof as shown. The other reciprocable head 26 ismounted in a similar manner at the opposite side of the warp wires andatthe other end of the lay beams, this head being carried by the tubularbar 2| running through suitable guides and connected to a cross headsimilar to the cross headtype. such for example as a series ofalternately connected adjacent their upper ends bythe arranged groovedrollers between which the wire passes and is bent alternately inopposite directions a suitable amount in the well known manner tostraighten the wire before it passes into the tubular bar 21 and thehead 25. Within this head is a stationary adjustable gripping ed in thehead, and having a stem 38 against which the adjusting screw 38 threadedinto the block 81 engages and by which the jaw may be adjustable fordifl'erentsize wire and to locate it in the proper location, and thenthe adjusting screw secured by a lock nut 40. Cooperating with this jawis a movable jaw 4| pivoted in the head at 42 and having a roughenedgripping surface 43 opposite the jaw with the wire 22a between them..Mountedto slide in the head, is a cam' or slide 44 having a cam surface45 engaging the inclined underside 4la of the jaw 4|. This jaw has arack 48 meshing with a pinion law 35 seated in a recess 36 in a block 31mount- 41 mounted on a short-transverse shaft 48 and having an extensionfinger 48 projecting from one side of the head to engage a tripping pawlor stop 50 at certain times during the movement .of the head 25 tooperate the cam 44 and the jaw 41 as will later be described. The pawlor stop 50 is mounted on a bar 5| mounted on the lay, in the presentcase by brackets 52 on two of the cross straps I8, and this bar isadjustable in these brackets so as to properly position the pawl or stop50, and the bar is held in adjusted position by any suitable means suchfor example as set screws 52a. The stop 50 is pivoted at 53 and isrounded at 54 so that the upper end may swing to the right as viewed inFig. 6 but cannot swing to the left beyond the upright position shown asit rests against a stop wall 55. A spring 58 is connected to this pawlor stop as shown and holds it in the upright position against the stopwall 55,, but permits the upper end to swing toward the right at certaintimes as will later be described. The cam or Y slide 44 is extended soas to head as shown at 51.

Mounted in the other head 26 is a stationary jaw 58' similar to the jaw85 and mounted in the same manner'in the block 59 in the head. Oppositethis jaw is a movable jaw. 80 pivoted at 51 and having a roughenedgripping surface 52 opposite the jaw 58. This jaw is operated by asliding cam or slide 83 having a cam surface 64 to engage the inclinedback surface 65 of the project from the .jaw. This cam is mounted toslide in the head and has a rack 88 meshing with the pinion 81 mountedon a short transverse shaft 88, and having an operating finger 59projecting through an elongated slot 18 in the cam 83 and alsoprojecting beyond the surface of the head 28 under certain conditions asshown in Fig. 6. To prevent casual movement of the cams or slides 44 and63 there is provided for each a friction block 1| engaging the side wallof the cam and pressed against the same by spring 12. This block willhold the cams in a given position until they are positively shifted. Thehead 26 has a longitudinal opening '13 in alignment with the jaws 58 andto receive the free end of the wire as shown in Fig. 6. The cam 83 alsohas a projecting end 14 projecting beyond the forward surface of thehead 28 in, alignment with the projecting end 51 of the cam 44 in theother head 25 for a purpose presently to be described. The projectingfinger 88 carried'by the head 25 may engage the stationary stop 15,under certain conditions, this stop being mounted on an ad- -justablebar 10 similar to the bar 5| for the stop 59, and adjustably mounted insimilar brackets 'll mounted on the connecting straps l9 at the oppositeend of the members ll of the lay and may be secured in adjustedpositions by a set screw 11a.

The heads 25 and 26 are reciprocated into and out of the shed in certaintimed relation with the operation of the warp wires and of the swingingof the lay to cause the reed 20 to set the cross wire. For this purposethere is a connecting rod 18 pivotally connected to the cross head 28 at19 and at its opposite end to a rotatable lever arm 80. Similarly thehead 26 is operated by a connecting rod 8| connected to a pivotal lever82 and at its opposite end connected to a cross head on the tubular bar3| similar to the cross head 28. The levers 89 and 82 are mounted onopposite ends of the rotatable block 83 mounted in an upright 84extending between the upper member I1 and the member I6 of the lay. Thisblock carries a sprocket 85 operated by a chain drive 86 from an uppersprocket 81 mounted on a shaft in the bearing bracket 88. On thissprocket shaft is a beveled gear 89 meshing with another beveled gear 90on the cross shaft 9| which runs in suitable bearings 92 mounted on theuprights l5. Mounted to turn on this shaft at the opposite end thereofare spur gears 93 and 94 having clutch teeth 95 and 96 respectively ontheir hubs adapted to'engage similar clutch teeth on collars 91 and 98splined on the shaft so as to be slidable thereon but which cause theshaft to turn withthem, and a spring 99 for each clutch collar tends toshift it to engagement with the clutch teeth on the hubs of thegears.The ear 99 meshes with a reciprocating rack I00 operated by a connectingrod |8| from a crank I02 rotated from suitable driving mechanism, as bya pulley I99 and belt I99 operated from any suitable source of power(not .shown), with a suitable gear train I09 running to the shaft I99 onwhich the crank :02 is mounted.

The gear 99 meshes with a similar reciprocating rack I91 operated by aconnecting rod I08 from another crank on the shaft I05 similar to thecrank I82 but set at about from the first crank so that as the shaft I05rotates the rack N19 is being moved upwardly as indicated by the arrowI99 while the rack ill? is being moved downwardly as indicated by thearrow H9, and vice versa. It will be seen that the clutch 95, 9? is soarranged that when the rack I08 is moving upwardly the gear 99 isdriving the shaft 9| in the'direction indicated by the arrow Ill, andduring this movement as the rack I01 is moving downwardly the clutch 9?is merely rotating backwardly without driving the shaft. However, ontheupward movement of the shaft ||l'| the gear 94 will drive'the shaft 9|in the same directhese arms reciprocates the rods 21 and 8| toward andfrom each other and therefore reciprocate the two heads 25 and 28 towardand from each other. It will be seen that in the normal position shownin full lines Figs. 1 and 11 the heads 25 and 26 are on opposite sidesof the warp wire set up 2|, and therefore are on opposite sides of theshed. During the first half revolution of the crank arms 88, 82 whichoccurs after the shed has been formed or opened by raising one half ofthe warp wires and depressing the other half, the heads are shifted intothe shed from the opposite sides thereof to the dotted line position ofFig. 11 which is also the position of Fig. 6.

Before this movement starts the free end of the wire 2211 has beenthreaded through the head 25 and projects therefrom a suitable distance.As the head 25 moves forwardly toward the shed the finger 49 'hits thestop 50 causing this finger 49 to be thrown to the'right and upwardly tothe position of Fig. 7. This movement turns the gear 41 and through therack 46 slides the cam or slide 44 to the left or toward the'forward endof the head. This movement causes the cam surface 45 to slide on theinclined surface 4|a of the pawl 4| and swing its gripping surface 43against the wire 22a and firmly grip this wire between the jaws 43 and35. It will therefore be seen that as the head 25 moves forward into theshed it carries the wire 22a withit. During this movement of the head 25into the shed the head 26 is also moving into the shed from the oppositeside thereof, and the jaw 69 and cam 63 are during this movement in thereleased position as shown in Fig. 7.

As the two heads approach each other at substantially the center of theshed which is the position of Fig. 7, their movements being indicated bythe arrows H2 and M3, the free end of the wire 22a which projects fromthe head 25 is inserted in the head 26 between the jaws 58 and 69. Thefront walls of the heads may be formed by inserted plates.|il and Hhaving guide openings Illa and is for guiding the end of the wire. Asthe two heads come substantially together the two projecting ends 51 and14 of the cams M and 53 engage, pushing the cam 44 to the right and thecam 63 to the left to the position of Fig.

6. This movement of the cam 44 to the right permits the jaw 4| torelease the wire 22a while the movement of the cam 63 to the left bysliding of the cam surface 64 on the inclined surface 65 clamps the jaw59 against the wire so that it is clamped between the jaws 50 and 59.The other half revolution of the crank arms 80 and 82 now begins. movingthe head 25 to the right and head 26 to the left. It will be apparentthat now the jaw 4| is released the movement of the head 25 will have noeifect on the wire, but as the jaws 60 and 58 are gripping-the wiremovement of the head 25 to the left will draw the wire with it andfinish placing this cross wire in the shed.

After the head 26 passes out of the shed the projecting finger 69 (Fig.6) engages the stationary stop 15 throwing this finger to the positionof Fig. 7 which movement through the gear 68 and rack 56 shi'ftsthe cam53 to the right and releases the jaw 60. This, of course, releases thegrip on the wire 22a and this retracting movement of the head 26 iscarried far enough so that the head slides completely off the free endof the wire permitting the wire which is now laid in the shed to beshifted forwardly to the proper position by the reed20. As the layswings forwardly to thus operate the reed 20 the wire is automaticallycut. 5

means such as adjusting screws II6, the block being secured by asuitable bolt I I1 threaded into the block and extending through anelongated slot I I8. After adjustment it may be clamped in the adjustedposition by the bolt I I1. At its forward end this block carriesaremovable cutter II9 secured by any suitable clamp I20, it beinglocated at the outer side of the wire 22a as indicated. 'Mounted toswing with the lay is a complementary cutter blade I2 I. This is mountedon a connecting bracket I22 carried by the member I! of the lay and itis adjustable on this bracket so that it may be properly positioned withrespect to the cutter II9. It will be seen that as the lay member I! isswung forwardly as indicated by the arrow I23 the cutter I2I will beforced against the wire 22a and by cooperation with the cutter II9 willsever the wire. This cutter as shown in Figs. 1 and 11 is located at thedesired position to the right of the warp shed. In order to insureproper operation of the cutter the block II may have therein above thewire 22a. a guideway I24 with which cooperates a guide I25 on thebracket I22 so as to maintain the two cutters II 9 and HI in properalignment during the cutting operation. As the lay swings back and thewarp threads are part of them raised and part of them lowered to formthe shed the heads 25 and 26 are again fed forwardly into the shed tolay the nest cross wire in the same manner.

As the head 25 is moved backwardly out of the shed the trigger 49 whichduring this movement is extended as shown in Fig. 6 hits the pivotedstop 50, but as this stop is free to swing to the right .the triggermerely slides over this side of the stop 50, and as this stop connotswing to the left the trigger .49 is swung up to the position of Fig. 7,andas previously described this movement operates the cam 44 to the leftcausing the jaw H to grip the wire 22a, and as also previously describedas this head 25 again movesinto the shed it carries the next length ofwire into the shed to be gripped and drawn completely into the shed andacross the warp wires by the head 26 as previously described. Theoperationis then again repeatedindefinitely and each time the two heads25 and 26 are 'reciprocated into and out of the shed across or fillerwire 22 is laid across the warp threads.

The lay is swung backwardly and forwardly by links I21 pivoted to thelay at I26 and at I29 to a crank arm I30 on the shaft I06.

In Figs. 12, 13 and 14 is shown means whereby the cross or filler wiresmay be crlmped before they are laid in the shed, the crimping givingthem substantially the shape they will have.

when laid in the mesh, thus giving a mesh in which the wires arepreformed before being placed in the mesh to substantially their propershape'when in thec'ompleted mesh or screen and retaining the wires intheir relative positions. Inthis arrangement there is a sprocket Illmounting the shaft IIIS'connected by a drive chain I32 with a sprocket I23 on the shaft I24. On this shaft is a gear I35 loosely meshing with asimilargear I36 so that the two 2329924 tail in Figs. 2 and 3. Mountedon the stationary gears are driven by the chain I32. The filler .wireI31 corresponding to the wire 22a is fed from a supply coil I38 andbetweenthese gears as shown in Figs. 12 and 14. The teeth of the gearsare so shapedand arranged that as the wire passes between them it iscrlmped to the desired shape as indicated at I3'la which is preferablysubstantially the shape it is desired the wire should have when madeinto finished mesh With this crimped wire the straightener 34 is eitheromitted or the rollers 34a thereof are separated so as to have nostraightening effect on the wire. Otherwise the operation is the same aswith the straight wire.

It will be seen that with this mechanism no shuttle is required, doingaway with shuttle throwing mechanism and the use of wound spools orbobbins. It will also be seen that the operation of laying the cross orfiller wires may be continued indefinitely depending on the amount ofwire in the supplycoilor the length of the warp wires, and that there isno necessity of stopping the loom for the changing of spools or bobbinsin a shuttle, thus greatly increasing the efiiciency of the machine andthe output.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a wire mesh loom, means for inserting the cross or filler wires inthe open shed comprising a grip for the wire movable into the shed fromone side thereof to insert the wire, a second grip movable into the shedfrom the opposite side thereof to receive the wire from the first gripand draw it through the shed, means for movin said grips into and fromthe shed in timed relation with the operation of the shed, andcooperating means associated with the grips and movable therewitharranged to engage as the grips approach each other and operable byrelative movement of the grips toward each other to release the firstgrip and set the second grip.

2. In a wire mesh loom, means for inserting the cross or filler wiresinto the open shed comprising a grip for the wire movable into the shedfrom one side thereof to insert the wire, means for gripping theinserted wire and holding it while the flrstgrip is being withdrawn fromthe shed, means for-moving said first grip into and from the shed intimed relation with operation of the shed, and means associated witheach grip for operating them, the means associated with the first gripbeing arranged to engage the means associated with the second grip andboth operated by relative movement of the first grip toward the secondto release the first grip and set i the second grip.

3. In a. wire mesh loom, means for inserting the free end of a cross orfiller wire into the open shed and movable into the shed from one sidethereof, means operable from the other side of the shed to grip saidfree end of the wire to retain it in the shed, means for operating thegripping means arranged to be engaged by the first mentioned means asthe first and second mentioned means approach each other and operable byrelative movement of said two means toward each other to operate thegripping means to grip the wire, and means for operating said first andsecond mentioned means'in timed rela- 5 tion with the operation of theshed.

4. In a wire 'mesh loom, means for carrying the free end of a cross wireinto and part way across the open shed from one side thereof, meansmovable into the shed from the opposite side thereof to grip the wireand draw it into the shed, means associated with the gripping meansarranged to be engaged by the first means as the first and second meansapproach each other and operable by relative movement of said meanstoward each other to release the first means, and means for operatingthe said first and second mentioned means in timedrelation with theoperation of the shed. 1

5. In a wire mesh loom, means for inserting the cross or filler wires inthe open shed comprising reciprocable heads on opposite sides of theshed, jaws onthe heads for gripping the wire, means for moving saidheads into and from the open shed in timed relation with the operationof the shed, means outside the shed for causing the jaw on one of saidheads to grip the wire and carry it into the shed, cooperating means onsaid heads arranged to engage as the heads approach each other andoperable by relative movement of the heads toward each other to releasethe jaw on the first head and set the jaw on the second head to draw thewire through the shed, and means outside the shed to release the secondjaw after it draws the wire means as the head moves forward toward the 5shed to operate the jaws to grip the wire to carry it into the shed,means on the heads operated as the heads meet within the shed to releasethe jaws on the first head and set the jaws on the second head to grip'the wire and draw it into the shed as said head is moved outwardly. astop to release the second jaws after the wire is set in the shed, andmeans to cut ed the wire to length.

'7. In a wire mesh loom, a head on each of the opposite sides of theshed, means for moving said heads into and from the open shed, jaws onone of said heads for gripping a cross wire and carrying it into theshed, jaws onthe otherhead for gripping the wire carried'bythe firsthead and drawing it into the shed, slides on said heads arranged tooperate the jaws and having portions projecting from the heads in'alignment so that as the heads come together said projecting portionsengage to shift the slides, and

said slides being arranged so that such shifting thereof will releasethe jaws on the first head and set the jaws on the second head.

8'. In a wire mesh loom including a swinging lay, means carried by thelay for inserting the cross or filler wires in the open shed comprisinga grip for a wire movable into the 5113a from one i side thereof toinsert the wire, a second grip' movable into the shed from the oppositeside thereof to receive the free end of the wire from the first grip anddraw it through the shed, means for moving said grips into and from the5 shed in timed relation with the operation of the shed and the lay,cooperating means associated and movable with each grip arranged toengage as the grips approach each other and operable by relativemovement of the grips toward each 10 other to release the first grip andset the second grip, and means operated by movement of the lay to cutoff the wire to length.

9. In a wire mesh loom, a head on each of the opposite sides of theshed, means for moving 15 said heads into and from the open shed, jawson one of said heads for gripping a cross wire and carrying it into theshed, jaws on the other head for gripping the wire carried by the firsthead and drawing it into the shed, a cam on each 20 7 head arranged tooperate the jaws, stop, means at one side of the lay'to shift the cam inone head on movement of the head toward the lay to set the jawsto gripthe wire and carry it 'into the shed, means for shifting the cams pro-25 jecting from each head so that as the heads come together within theshed said projecting portions are operated to shift the cams, said camsbeing arranged so that such shifting thereof will release the jaws onthe first head and set the 30 jaws on the second head to grip the wire,and

a stop means on the other side of the shed from the first stop means toshift the cam of the second head to release the jaws on that head afterthe wire has been drawn through the shed. 35

, each other and operable by relative movement of said means toward eachother to cause the first means to release the wire-and the second meansto hold it, means for operating said mentioned means in timed relationwith the opera- 50 tion of the shed, and means operated by movemerit ofthe lay to cut off the wire to;length.

'11. In awire mesh loom, means for inserting the cross .or filler wiresin the open shed comprising a grip for the wire movable into the shed 55from one side thereof to insert the wire, a secmovement of the gripstoward each other to 05 release the first grip and set the second, andmeans for crimping the wire before inserting it in the shed tosubstantially the shape it will have in the finished mesh.

FREDERICK vo HOL'I'Z.

